Ham Radio QSO Parties

A new twist… This simulation places an additional wire underneath the previous 40 meter dipole up 6 feet.

As we continue are review of portable HF antennas we start to approach the bizarre. This post reviews a full half-wave antenna for 40 meters placed just 6 feet high. This is almost silly, but, like I said before, is it a whole lot more than nothing and did work.

This installment of our 40 meter antenna simulations takes our 26 foot Inverted V, described here, levels the conductors and lowers the elevation to 10 feet above ground level.

This installment of our 40 meter antenna simulations takes our 26 foot Inverted V, described here, and levels the conductors.

This is the first comparison done against our baseline 40 meter inverted V at 26 feet outlined here. The only parameter changed was increasing the height of the apex from 26 feet to 50 feet above ground level.

Continuing our look at how to make the most of simple wire antennas I am using EZNEC to compare the performance of a wire dipole antenna in various configurations. The goal here continues to be a simple to deploy antenna usable on the road for VAQP Expedition. Our initial focus will be a 40 meter half-wave design. Then we will compare this with other possible antenna geometries and also investigate whether adding a wire on or near the ground beneath the antenna helps radiate more power skyward. The baseline configuration will look like this…

If you are considering operating as expedition for the Virginia QSO Party you have choices. You could rent a van, bolt in a table, bring along a portable mast, throw in a generator, chairs, heater and you are all set. Or if you are like me and have to settle for doing something with a Taurus get these things:

How to make the most of localized ham radio contacts within one state during a QSO Party.